Conventional surveillance cameras are typically fixed in a location of interest for monitoring that location or for recording audio and video files related to that location. For example, individuals may set up personal security systems with surveillance cameras in or around the individual's home to monitor personal property, such as a home or vehicle. Companies may also provide security services that monitor activity in or near the individual's home. For example, a security company may manage a monitoring system for a residential property that includes cameras, temperature sensors, sensors to detect break-ins, etc. The company may notify appropriate personnel (e.g., police or fire company) upon the detection of a triggering event (e.g., observing suspicious activity, detection of excessive temperatures, etc).
Although services exist to visually monitor activity in or around a home, the services are not effective for mobile property. In particular, a fixed location camera on an individual's residence or land is not capable of monitoring mobile property that moves out of the camera's viewing area or listening radius. For example, consider a vehicle that is driven off of the individual's land and out of view of any of the fixed position cameras. The fixed location cameras are no longer effective when the vehicle moves out of range of any of the cameras. Alternate methods of monitoring such mobile property have also not been very effective. For example, with respect to a vehicle, conventional car alarms are typically ineffective, serving to better function as a neighborhood irritation than a deterrent. Companies exist for detection of theft after property is stolen, but these require a special unit, such as a unit in an automobile, and the unit is for recovery, not prevention.